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KHMER KROM NEWS

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Sam Rainsy’s autobiography: Rooted in the stone

La version française se trouve en fin du texte en anglais

Translated from French by Luc Sâr

Rooted in the stone - My struggle for the revival of CambodiaBy Sam Rainsy

Ravaged by genocide, coveted by powerful and predatory neighbors, submitted to a corrupt nomenklatura, choked by a neo-feudal regime, Cambodia is a martyr country, and no one knows this better than Sam Rainsy. Born into a patrician family in Phnom Penh, close to King Norodom Sihanouk, a young Rainsy knew opulence and the decline when his father, a major politician, was brutally dismissed and had to live in hiding before being assassinated.

Taking refuge in Paris, the Sam family resigned themselves to live as poor immigrants. However, they never lost their hope or dignity. A gifted student, Rainsy undertook brilliant studies that led him to become an important financier specializing in mergers and acquisitions for the luxury industry…

But, how could one be happy earning money and making money for others, when one’s country is sinking in cruelty in the hands of a regime practicing mass murder? From humanitarian action in Paris for the victims of the Khmer rouge regime to election campaigns on the spot, following the fall of the communist regime, Rainsy and Saumura, his wife, launch themselves into political action, taking over the torch from their respective fathers, both of whom were signatories of the 1954 Geneva agreements on Indochina.

However, for these two westernized Cambodians, their return home was rough. Facing with difficulties, aggressions, and even assassination attempts, Rainsy countered them with Buddhist-like pacifism, while constantly seeking for calm and compromise. Becoming the Minister of Economy under Hun Sen’s first mandate government, he was able to bring order to the State finance, and this earned him more hostilities. It was in the opposition that he found his calling when he founded a democratic and liberal party involved in the defense of freedom. Facing the unleashing of violence prompted by such provocation, Rainsy maintains his bearing, unperturbed and smiling, unshakable and frugal, just like those trees deeply rooted in the stones of the Angkor temples.

In April 2008, Sam Rainsy’s 300-page-long autobiography detailing his struggle for the revival of Cambodia, “Rooted in the stone,” will be published in France by Calmann-Lévy. This book can be pre-ordered through SRP-France at a cost of euro 20, or euro 22.97 including shipping.

The Khmer and English version of the book will be published in the following months.

The substance of the book should be the focus of the debate rather than argueing against each other as to who and when one should write a biography!!!

One has the right to write or to hire someone to write one;s biography...this is the freedome of speech and expression as guaranteed by the Constitution.

Nicolas Sakozy wrote his biography, so does Obama and Hilary Clinton...so what the heck argueing about this...come one! When do we Khmer stop fighting (being so jealous of each other / Chnea Nis) over this trivial issue?

Dictator likes to hire someone else to write a book for them. They are not trained to speak openly and honestly to people about how they see and perceive the world around them. Dictator like Hun Sen and Autocratic leader like shitty Rannaridh likes to hide behind layers of power curtains...they claims to be close to the grassroot and the poor, which in truth they are not. And that reflects the way their governement is run.

I will surely buy the English version at full price without any hesitation Mr. Sam Rainsy is a good man who gives up everything for the cause of his country. I admire his courage to put his life in he believes for Cambodia. What a rare man indeed!! I will look forward to this book and learn more about Mr. Rainsy.

To listen to Sam rainsy, the revival of Cambodia depends on him only, on his only ideas, because he has receipts to make to be revived Cambodia!And that everybody who does not share his ideas are enemies: the Khmers as the foreigners and the nearby countries.

As Pol Pot in 1975, who had his own brilliant ideas to build new Cambodia. And it was Cambodia ruined and destroyed of the year zero which he had left behind him!

Sam Rainsy don't see that Cambodia today to reconstruct and to develop every day with all the Cambodians of willingness without sam rainsy?

Cambodia needs certainly international assistances to reconstruct, but Cambodia can to reconstruct without mediocre sam rainsy’s ideas !

That Mr sam rainsy stops taking Cambodians for idiots and that he stops being delirious.

It is necessary to say that This sam rainsy’s book is pretentious and mediocre quality.

Those who join Sam Rainsy are those who care and protect Cambodia from evil Hanoi and Hun Sen.

I can't wait to buy Mr. Sam Rainsy's biography book. He is Cambodia's Chey Varaman VIII in this modern history. He is a patriot who sacrifices himself for the nation unlike Hun Sen and Ranarith. These two crooks are helping to destroy Cambodia along with their followers.

make sure this book gets translated in english, too, as not all cambodians can speak french. and don't forget to translate in khmer also, as not all khmers can speak neither french nor english. thank you.

If Dey Dek Cho Samdech Hun SenVarman academically knows enough how to write Khmer language, he will be boastfully written his own autobiography, from a temple to a sole Mighty father of all Khmer leaders!

You have to be such an idiot to buy Hun Sen's book. 1- Harish C. Mehta and Julie B. Mehta exagerated about Hun Sen's life - full of rubbish in the entire book. I tossed in my toilet basket. 2- By the way, Hun Sen ran away like a coward to Vietnam on June 2, 1977 - at least a year before Pol Pot began purging his people. Learn your history, idiot. 3- Hun Sen and his family are woth $4.5 billon according to Forbes Magazine several years ago. He does not need your few bucks. I got his book for free from the trash next to my house. Moreover, Sam Rainsy will save Cambodia. If you love Hun Sen, you are also a traitor to Cambodia and don't try to be Cambodia - idiot. If you want to know the facts, read French or English books by honest historians and you will know the facts. It is embarrassing to quack just for the sake of it. Learn it well, freak.

Why all of you (assuming that most are Cambodians) are so good at fighting each other? Why aren't you a little bit open minded regardless whether or not you like a person?

You are so good at fighting each other. Have you done anything with the Thais creating all the troubles in Preah Vihear? Maybe it's OK for others to look down on us but not your own people? What a shame!

Well, whether you are for or against Sam Rainsy, you have a common thought: he is worth something. Whether he is a trustworthy or a hypocritical politician, his writing is worth something as well. Read it first, then you will discover its value. Be open to others' thought, positive or negative, about you if you think you are something.

What I don't understand is that why is that most of our brothers in sruk Khmer don't like SR? (obviously he lost an election). Personally, I think SR is a good man and should be considered a Khmer hero. He is very courageous and patriotic not to mention his educational status. I think most Khmer view SR as a threat due to his Western educational background. They are afraid of changes and treated him like an outsider. Contrary, Hun Sen never left the country. Eventhough he has limited educational background, he knew how to speak their language; therefore it is much easier to get his point across.

Regardless of our differences, whether you are pro Hun Sen Or SR, we are all Khmer and we should love each other. Our country had been through so much and our people had suffered unparalled in human history. we should learn to accept our differences and find ways to help and rebuilt country so our neighbor don't look down at us as Khmer like they are today.

4:21, I am so sorry that you have so much hatred in you my brother. If you are Khmer like you said, please try not to reveal too much of your low self esteem because foreigners will see that as a weekness. Please don't let your poor up bringing destroy the Khmer spirit. We Khmer have to stick together regardless where we live.

I think Hun Sen and Pen Sovan did their job by liberating cambodia after vietnamese chase away the KR. With the help of Le Duc Tho, Hun Sen replace Pen sovan. It was not hun sen who took up arms to liberate, neither did Sam rainsy. It was the political game between Peking and Hanoi. KR was a pawn. CPP was a sign for Hanoi's victory. Hun Sen is a phenomenon out of that game. If you look at this politicalscape, it is not his intention to fight for cambodia. It is: - against the kr who tried to kill him.- to help vietnam get rid of Kr.good result: they become heros. later He became Hero.

Why Should Sam rainsy be involved with this game? It is a game between the communist and the communist. 'Communists at war' the title from times magazine 1978.

Sam Rainsy fought for another cause. revival of our future vision. anyway, he has the right to write anything he wants. I don't think he is a bad man. He has the right to criticise the government if there are the irregularities. He never get involved in killing any individual since his engagement in politics. But those who liberate the cambodians once, now they become robbers. Look at our natural resources, our people. Dey Krahom. they look like subclasse citizen. It was so stupid the way the government response to the situation. they just want to live like you, your sister, you mother who once was poor. After all, they are human like you.

Before depriving those humain habitant of their home, think of your family before the liberation.

I wonder if Sam Rainsy can explain his respective father's actions reported in Time Magazine. According to Time Magazine, Sam Sary is a low morale and shameful khmer. How could he be respectiful as a good and intellectual khmer citizen? I do not unless there are other articles to prove that Time Magazine was wrong. The sites are following. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,868644,00.html

Perhaps in the revised version he might like to explain how keeping all your assets in France and being funded by the International Republican Institute makes one a Cambodian patriot. Also how calling on a foreign power to asasinate a rival qualifies one to pose as a democrat.

I would like to recommend you to read the book of Yeay Tieng "Angkar Chea Norna?".I found it was very very interesting as it revealed the amazing truth behind the killing field.If you don't read this book you would not know the true story of the Viet Minh, Viet Cong and the Khmer Rouge including CPP.

At first I looked down on this book and tended to look down on Yeay Tieng as well.A friend lent it to me and urged me to read but I left it on my shelf for a very long time until I wanted to return it. Then I thought to myself that I should read it first before returning otherwise I would not know what to say when he asks.

HELLO MY FRIEND COMMUNIST PEOPLE THEY HAVE BEEN BLOCKED FROM OUTSIDE WORLD THAT WHY THEY HAVE BEEN POOR AND KILLING EACH OTHER.REMEMBER HUN SEN SAID CLOSE THE DOOR KILLING THE DOGS. I AM NOT TAKE SIDE OK WAKE UP IF YOU ARE CAMBODIANS WHO LOVES YOUR COUNTRY.WE DO NOT BORDER W/THIALAND NO MORE ONLY VIETNAMESE AND THIALAND. WITH OUT INTERNATIONAL HELP(UN).YUON =VIETNAMESE IS ROBING OUR COUNTRY.I AM KHIM SOPHAT WAS BORN 1960 ( BATDOMBONG).THANK YOU ALL

some people who said during pol-pot why dont sam ran sy come to help,this is really dumb brain to say that.you should read brother N1 when democratic of kampuchea asked students from france how many dies?how many servives?i think earng sary could be veitcong spy.onec during 1972-73 earng sary asked pol-pot to mix khmer troop with veitnames troop but pol-pot refuse,why earng sary get away from pol-pot and get pardon by sihanouk may be monigue asked sihanouk,we should follow the story from 1945 until now infront of us very dengerous for our country if hun-sen still lead the country.no justic at all